‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ Eyes Eddie Redmayne As Lead

Fans of the wizarding world of Harry Potter (in general, not just the theme park) should be excited to hear that J.K. Rowling is returning to the magical world that she created all those years ago with ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’ Based on the magizoology textbook of the same name, the film is set to follow author and adventurer Newt Scamander as he studies magical creatures in various locations around the world including New York City during the 1920s. Previously, former ‘Doctor Who’ star Matt Smith was said to be in contention for the lead role, but now we hear that a different kind of doctor (and award-winning actor) is the current frontrunner for the part.

According to sources from Variety, Eddie Redmayne is the favorite to star in ‘Fantastic Beasts’ as Newt Scamander. The eclectic actor that heard the people sing in ‘Les Miserables,’ stole the show in ‘Jupiter Ascending,’ and won the Oscar for his portrayal of Dr. Stephen Hawking in ‘The Theory of Everything’ is said to be the first piece that the production is pursuing before finding the other four leads that are said to be two American boys and two American girls. Currently, it appears that no offer has been given yet, but these reports say that Redmayne is the number one choice for director David Yates.

To be quite honest, I love this casting news. When the project was first announced, Redmayne was among the first names that came to my mind when I thought about who could work as Scamander. But now that he has the added title of Academy Award winner, I’m sure that Yates and Warner Bros. would love to hitch their wagon to this prize-winning stallion.

What do you think about Eddie Redmayne potentially starring in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’? Do you think that he’d be a great fit for Newt Scamander? Let us know in the comments below.

‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ apparates into theaters on November 18, 2016.

Ben Silverio

Ben F. Silverio received a degree from Drexel University in the Screenwriting and Playwriting Program with a minor in Television Production. While at Drexel, Ben co-founded and co-hosted a film review show called The Pretentious Film Majors, which has evolved into a multi-format form of entertainment including blogs, podcasts on iTunes, articles in the school paper, and a potential tv show. Now armed with an extremely expensive piece of paper, Ben can begin climbing the treacherous ladder of the entertainment industry, which he hopes to do while streaming WWE wrestling matches, reading Marvel comics, and blogging about the excessive amount of movies and tv shows that he watches, all on the iPhone that is permanently attached to his hand.